Hit/caught/headed ball in the stand? Join the OFFICIAL squad of unsung Albion "players".

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Withdean, South Stand, Block F, Row K.

The opposition right back kicked the ball high towards us, I knew this was my moment to shine. At 6ft 4 I had the advantage, this was mine.

I stood up and stepped into the aisle of block F before heading the ball back down to the Athletics track.

A genuinely proud moment.

 

[Jam The Man]

Unusually for me, standing at the very bottom of the North Stand in Feb 1992, I tried to stop a shot that whistled past the post.

My hand connected flushly with it and the said ball propelled my hand into an ice cold old fencing pole. To this day i haven't had a greater impact pain!

 

[Puppet Master]

Never touched the match ball. Being high up and wide of the goal in the North Stand, unlikely I ever will now

Although for one game it came very close to me and I stretched my arm out to no avail.

 

[timbha]

a guy (who claimed to be an ex Southwick keeper) near us in NS at Withdean stood up proudly to catch the ball from a "Sunday League" clearance, caught it, chucked it back then sat back down to ripples of applause. A couple of minutes later he walked out "to get a coffee". He returned 20 minutes later with his hand and arm all strapped up - he had busted a finger!!

 

[FamilyGuy]

On February 8th, our next home game, I suspect the players might need to be wary of the stray ball from Jason Puncheon's penalty.

However, I still bear the scar across the bridge of my nose from when the ball hit me straight in the face in 1983. It was during the warm-up, and I was down at the front of the Goldstone North Stand, and was nose-up against the perimeter fence when the ball hit me, digging the fence into my nose.

1983 for me too - I was hit in the face by a sliced clearance by Gordon McQueen at the FA Cup Final Replay.
In my defence I'd had a small op on my knee the day before and was still "strapped up" and generally immobile (and so I was sitting for the replay, having stood behind the goal for the "first final").

So do I make the Cup Final Squad?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

At Gillingham the ball came flying up high into the air. I saw my opportunity, ran a few steps down, and headed the ball back, a bit like Hillian, as it seemed to cover most of the pitch. I was unashamedly proud as the sound of 'Sign him up' rang in my ears. I had the worst headache ever for three days after though.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Sometime in the eighties I think, a friend of mine got the ball in the old north stand just after halftime. The crowd was not packed that day and he subsequently took a run up to try to kick it back on goalie style. I remember shouting 'No!' as I could see what would happen, but it was too late, he smashed the ball into the back of the bloke standing in front of him. He was pretty p*ssed off as apart from the indignity of it all, had been eating a pie, and much of the contents had been displaced upon his chin. So on behalf of my friend, I would like to apologise for that rash act.

 

[Russconha]

I caught a ball in the Goldstone ground west stand once in the 95/96 season. It wasn't a particularly difficult catch but Johnny Byrne made my day when he thanked me for throwing the ball to him so he could take a quick throw.

 

[JJ McClure]

Never touched the match ball. Being high up and wide of the goal in the North Stand, unlikely I ever will now

Fingers crossed Jason Puncheon plays at the Amex and then you'll almost be guaranteed a touch.

My moment came in the Sussex senior cup final at Eastbourne when I managed not only to head the ball but also avoid spilling my cup of tea.

 

[Mr Smggles]

Against Burnley, the match with the two sendings off, the ball came up into the North Stand and was caught by yours truly. I held onto the ball as a protest against the terrible refereeing, delaying the game by at least 60 seconds. A ball had to be fetched from the 4th official and given to the Burnley Keeper to restart play from a goal kick. As he ran up to take it, I (tried) to throw the ball back onto the pitch, but it fell short and landed on the top of the net. The ref had to stop the game again though, to make sure the ball was removed from the goal.

Definitely the 12th man in that game.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I stood up and stepped into the aisle of block F before heading the ball back down to the Athletics track.

At Gillingham the ball came flying up high into the air. I saw my opportunity, ran a few steps down, and headed the ball back, a bit like Hillian, as it seemed to cover most of the pitch. I was unashamedly proud as the sound of 'Sign him up' rang in my ears.

Respect.

I would love the opportunity to head it back - but the thought of getting the timing wrong ............

 

[The Large One]

1983 for me too - I was hit in the face by a sliced clearance by Gordon McQueen at the FA Cup Final Replay.
In my defence I'd had a small op on my knee the day before and was still "strapped up" and generally immobile (and so I was sitting for the replay, having stood behind the goal for the "first final").

So do I make the Cup Final Squad?

Mine was the Man City game in the Fourth Round.

 

[Flex Your Head]

I remember being right at the front of the East Stand when we played Southampton at the end of the 70’s. The ball came off for a throw-in and I leant over and picked it up. Alan Ball, the little ginger whinger, came over giving me the ‘hurry and give me the ball’ gestures, so I threw it straight at his nads. Sadly, he simply caught it and took the throw in. The git.

 

[the wanderbus]

my daughter got hit right in the face at a friendly against lewes, it was the game that Turienzo trialed in. Another friendly, this time against Fulham at Withdean Kerry Mayo( I think) cleared into the North Stand , I rose like a salmon from my seat removing my cap as I did so and headed the ball back .My kids declared that I was an embarrassment to which I replied I had been wanting to do that for 30 years.

 

[Ernest]

When I was a young lad I was stood at the front of the North Stand just to the right of the goal during the warm up when Peter Ward SMASHED one and it caught me FLUSH on the back of my head as I was looking away to the top of the stand. I would hate to think that he did it DELIBERATELY

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Flair player. Squad number 10 for you fella.

Spooky - number 10 was my old number when I played back when God's dog was a puppy.

If I'm going to make a comeback I'd better get my boots ready. Anyone got any dubbin I can borrow?

 

[catfish]

I remember a game at the Goldstone in the late 80's/early 90's when the ball was wellied over the East stand and a bloke watching the game from one of the gardens
caught it to a huge round of applause from the crowd.

 

[tinycowboy]

Caspar was really whacking the ball around at warm-up last Saturday. He stung the bar twice in a row and also launched one into the centre of the North Stand. But you're saying warm-up doesn't count? Shame. Once the match is on, the ball rarely enters the stands. It's only during the warm-up that the players can express themselves in a carefree and natural way.

 

[Goring-by-Seagull]

Front row of the north, took a mate for his first taste of the Amex, so must've been a Tuesday night. We had a stray shot which hit the (old pre-electronic) advertisement boards in front of us, bounced up and my mate jumped out of his seat and headed it back onto the pitch. I was jealous.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I rose like a salmon from my seat removing my cap as I did so and headed the ball back

Even better. Pure class.